This article inaugurates Abbas Amanat’s eight-part lecture series, The Intertwined Dualities and the Challenge of Modernity in Iran. The series delves into the dynamic contrasts that have shaped Iran’s history, from center and periphery to tradition and modernity. In this lecture, Amanat examines the intricate relationship between bum (center) and bar (periphery), exploring their interplay as shaped by Iran’s environmental realities, political structures, and cultural narratives.
Environmental Realities: Water and Scarcity
Amanat begins by emphasizing the centrality of water in defining the historical relationship between bum and bar. Unlike regions such as Egypt and Mesopotamia, where abundant rivers supported expansive agriculture, Iran’s arid environment imposed limitations on settlement and state formation. The fertile plains of bum—capable of sustaining large populations and agricultural production—were restricted in scope. This scarcity created a constant tension between urban centers and peripheral regions over access to vital resources.
The qanat system exemplifies this tension. Channeling water from distant mountain springs to plains expanded the reach of bum, enabling cities and farmlands to flourish in otherwise inhospitable areas. Yet, the geographical constraints of Iran ensured that much of its territory remained bar—regions of limited water and harsher ecological conditions. These peripheral areas became home to nomadic tribes whose livelihoods relied on mobility and adaptability.
The Role of Bum as the Center of Power
Amanat characterizes bum as the locus of political authority, economic activity, and cultural development. Historically, cities such as those described as Shahrestan during the Sasanian period served as fortified centers of governance and administration. These urban hubs in fertile regions represented the seat of state power, drawing resources and manpower from surrounding lands.
However, the reach of central authority was not absolute. The vastness of Iran’s territory and its challenging terrain limited the ability of any regime to fully control its periphery. The center’s reliance on the bar for resources—such as livestock, wool, and military recruits—created a symbiotic but often fraught relationship.
The Bar as Both Resource and Challenge
The bar, while marginalized in historical narratives, played an indispensable role in Iranian society. Nomadic tribes, inhabiting the deserts and mountains of the periphery, were providers of essential resources for the bum. They supplied livestock and raw materials, contributing to the economic sustainability of urban centers. Militarily, they often served as allies or mercenaries, their mobility and knowledge of the terrain offering strategic advantages.
Yet, the tribes of the bar also posed a persistent challenge to the central authority. Throughout Iranian history, tribal migrations, revolts, and even conquests reshaped the political landscape, as seen in the Seljuk and Mongol eras. This tension underscores the dual role of the bar—as both a vital support system for the state and a source of instability.
Mamalek-e Mahruseh: Balancing Center and Periphery
Amanat highlights the Iranian political system’s accommodation of bum and bar through the concept of mamalek-e mahruseh (“protected domains”). This framework reflected a pragmatic balance, granting peripheral regions semi-autonomous governance under local rulers or tribal leaders while maintaining overarching central authority. Such an arrangement acknowledged the realities of Iran’s geography and societal structure, ensuring a measure of stability in the interaction between the center and the periphery.
Modernization and the Collapse of Balance
The Pahlavi era marked a turning point in the bum–bar dynamic. The discovery of oil and the subsequent growth of state revenues empowered the central government to assert unprecedented control over peripheral regions. Through military modernization and forced sedentarization policies, the Pahlavis dismantled the autonomy of nomadic tribes, integrating the bar into the structures of the modern nation-state.
While this transformation contributed to national unification, it also eroded the traditional balance between bum and bar. Nomadic lifestyles and cultural practices were suppressed, and the ecological pressures of urban expansion and resource exploitation began to take a toll on Iran’s environment and social fabric.
A Cultural and Symbolic Legacy
Amanat connects the interplay of bum and bar to Iran’s literary and cultural traditions, particularly the Shahnameh. In this epic, bum and bar are not merely geographical terms but symbolic of Iran’s territorial and emotional ties to the land. The stories of Faridun, Manuchehr, and Siavash illustrate the duality of power and fate tied to these concepts, reflecting the enduring tension between settlement and frontier in Iran’s historical consciousness.
Lessons for Modern Iran
In conclusion, Amanat warns against the environmental and cultural consequences of disrupting the historical balance between bum and bar. Rapid urbanization, resource depletion, and the weakening connection between modern Iranians and their land threaten the sustainability of this delicate interplay. He calls for a renewed focus on balance, recognizing the interdependence of center and periphery as a cornerstone of Iran’s historical resilience and future well-being.
By examining the intertwined evolution of bum and bar, Amanat offers a nuanced understanding of Iran’s past and present, where the dualities of geography, power, and culture continue to shape its identity. This interplay, rooted in environmental realities and enriched by cultural traditions, remains a vital lens for interpreting the complexities of Iranian history.
In line with the vision of the Iran 1400 Project, which aims to explore the evolution of ideas and institutions in Iran over the past century to foster informed discussions about its future, we are pleased to share a summary of Abbas Amanat’s lecture series titled “Intertwined Dualities and the Challenge of Modernity in Iran.” This series was produced by Aasoo, a non-profit organization that promotes dialogue and tolerance through research, publications, and multimedia initiatives, fostering understanding and inclusion within Iranian society. We thank our friends at Aasoo for facilitating this enlightening lecture series, which addresses the complex challenges of modernity in Iran.
The lectures are conducted in Farsi, and the Iran 1400 Project provides a summary and key takeaways of each lecture in English to engage a broader audience.
Dr. Abbas Amanat is a historian, scholar, author, editor, and professor. The William Graham Sumner Professor Emeritus of History at Yale University, he has written about early modern and modern history of Iran, the Middle East, the Muslim world, and the Persianate world.
